Christmas is over, and I’m just now sharing one of my last holiday bucket list adventures, the Candlelight Concert featuring the holiday classic, The Nutcracker.
Recognizing something as a classic signifies high quality, lasting value, and timeless relevance that resonates across generations. In 1892, the Russian composer Tchaikovsky received a commission to create a program featuring opera and a ballet. The Nutcracker is that long-lasting classic holiday tradition now over 130 years old.
As a teenager, my first memories of The Nutcracker were the ballet performances at local schools or theaters and my daughter Channing’s ballet class performances at The Hershey Theater.
Most recently, I attended a Nutcracker performance by a string quartet at the awe-inspiring historic Trust Performing Arts Center in downtown Lancaster. It was a wonderful multi-sensory musical experience. The cellist plays with the Philadelphia Symphony, which is worth noting.
The musical selections began with popular holiday medleys like Deck the Halls, O Holy Night, and The First Noel. Of course, the pièce de résistance was Tachikovsky’s The Nutcracker, Waltz of the Flowers, and Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. In my quest to expand my dimensions of self-care, I now listen to classical music. Still, I would have preferred to hear more of Tachikovsky’s commissioned compositions for The Nutcracker or French classical composer Claude Debussy’s The Snow Is Dancing.
History of the Candlelight Concerts
The first Candlelight Concert was held in Madrid in 2019 and has since spread to over 100 cities worldwide. Fever, a global online site, organizes, lists, and sells tickets for live entertainment. The hundreds of candles undoubtedly provide magical illumination and an intimate atmosphere for your listening experience.
I belong to the Fever Club, which sponsors the Candlelight Concerts. Unless otherwise specified, the concerts last one hour. Tickets start at $35 but vary according to seating location. The Nutcracker is my second Fever Candlelight Concert; remember the Vivaldi’s Four Seasons in Harrisburg earlier this year. Fever offers various themes and genres; check out the Candlelight Concerts website.
As always, thank you for stopping by the Age of Grace.
